Straight-ticket mechanism for voting-machines.



No. 740,058. I PATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903.

, P. X. ST. LOUIS & A. M. JACKSON.

STRAIGHT TICKET MECHANISM FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1903.

NO MODEL.

fly. 2.

INVENTOR WJTNESSES: 1;)"

A TTORNEY.

a gal a4 I y UNITED STATES Patented September 29, 1903. I

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS X. ST. LOUIS AND ALFRED M. JACKSON, OF OOLUSA, CALIFORNIA.

STRAIGHT-TICKET MECHANISM FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,058, dated September 29, 1903.

Application filed March 19, 1903. 'Serial No. 148,527. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANCIS X. ST. LoUIs chines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to straight-ticket mechanism forvoting-machines, the object of our invention being to provide means by which in a voting-machine votes may be cast simultaneously for all candidates of the same party at a single operation.

Ourinvention therefore resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts for the above ends hereinafter fully specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end view or portion of a voting-machine equipped with our improvement, part thereof being shown in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line A A of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the framework of a voting-machine,having a number of voting-stems 2 in line with each other. These stems in the act of voting are raised by keys 3 and are given a quarter-turn to one side or the other, fingers 4 being thereby brought into engagement with pins 5 on rollers 6, the rollers on one side advancing tapes 7, upon which are numerals representing the number of votes cast, and on the other side advancing bands 8, upon which the voter may inscribe the name of a person not nominated for whom he desires to vote. A slide 9 on being shifted then depresses all fingers 4 belonging to keys 3 in the same line which have been so turned, and thus advances the corresponding tapes or hands.

All of the above forms no part of our present invention and has been more fully described in an application filed by us Octobe 24, 1902, Serial No. 128,675.

We will now describe the straight-ticket mechanism which we adopt in connection with the machine there disclosed. At the front end of the section or block of the vot in g-machine is a vertical stem 10 for straightnumber of party or straight-ticket votes cast.

At the rear end of said block is a similar stem 16, and from said stems extend crank-arms 17, connected by a bar 13. These crank-arms 17 turn. with the stems, but do not move vertically therewith. By means of said crankarms 17 and connecting-bar 18 the rear stem 16 is given a rocking movement identical with that of the front stem 10. In their normal position said crank-arms 1O 16 extend almost at right angles with the line of keys, but slightly rearwardly, so that the connectingbar 17 is outside the periphery of collars 19, secured upon the stems 2; but when said crank-arms are given a quarter-turn forward the connecting-bar 17 is moved inward and over said collars, and thereby prevents the raising of any of the individual-keys 3.

The stems 10 for straight-ticket voting are connected with each other by means of arms 20 thereon, which arms 20 are connected by the links 21, so that all of said stems move in unison. The rear stems 16 are similarly connected by arms 20 and links 21. Thus the turning of any stem will turn the other stems and will look all the other individual-keys. The turning of a stem 10 of a straight-ticket key likewise locks all the other straightticket keys. The crank-arms 16 and 20 are loose on said stems while rotating therewith, so that the stems 10 can be raised without raising the crank-arms, which are held between stops 22. Therefore, although when any one of said straight-ticket keys has been operated the other straight-ticket stems are likewise turned through a quarter-turn, the fingers 11 thereon are not elevated with the finger 11 of the stem which is operated; but said fingers instead of passing over the slides 9 to be per mitted to drop into the slot thereof now pass under said slides, so that they cannot be ele vated and are locked against operation. Should it he attempted to raise two of said straight-ticket keys at the same time, this is prevented by means of fingers 25, loose on said straight-ticket stems, but raised therewith by means of collars 26 above and below said fingers, which fingers passbetween the rounded ends of locking-rods 27, which slide in guides 28, secured upon the frame, so that when any one of said keys has been raised the ends of the rods close up against the fingers of the other keys and prevent them from being raised.

We claim- 7 1. In a straight-ticket mechanism for voting-machines, the combination of rows of individual-keys, straight-ticket keys at the ends of said rows, connections between said straight-ticket keys whereby they rock in unison, means whereby the rocking of said straight-ticket keys look all of the individualkeys, said means comprising collars mounted on the stems of the individual-voting keys, and a bar adapted to engage the same, and means forlimi ting the longitudinal movement of more than one of said straightticket keys, substantially as described.

2. In a straight-ticket mechanism for voting-machines, the combination of rows of individual-voting keys, straight-ticket keys at the ends of the respective rows, said keys being turned in the act of voting, and means whereby the turning of said straight-ticket keys locks said individual-keys, said latter means comprising a connecting-bar between said individual-Voting and straight-ticket keys, and collars carried by the voting-keys, adapted to be engaged by the bar, substantially as described.

3. In a straight-ticket mechanism for voting-machines, the combination of rows of individual-voting keys, straight-ticket keys at the ends of the respective rows, connections between all of the straight-ticket keys where by the turning of one key turns the rest, and mechanism operated by the turning of any one of said straight-ticket keys which looks all of the individual-keys, said mechanism comprising collars carried by the voting-keys and a connecting-bar adapted to engage the collars, substantially as described.

4. In a straight-ticket mechanism for voting-machines, the combination of rows of individual-voting keys, straight-ticket keys at the ends of the respective rows, collars on the individual-keys, stems at the other end of saidrows, and connections between said stems and the straight-ticket stems arranged to engage said collars when the straight-ticket key is turned to lock the individual-keys, substantially as described.

5. In a straight-ticket mechanism for voting-machines, the combination of rows of individual-voting keys, a straight-ticket key at the end of each row, stems for said keys, a stem at the opposite end of each row, crankarmson said terminal stems, a locking-bar connecting said crank-arms, and collars on said individual-stems, said locking-bar being beyond the periphery of said collars when in its normal position and moved over said collars when the straight-ticket key is turned in the act of voting a straight ticket, substantially as described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

F. X. ST. LOUIS. A. M. JACKSON. 

